Miami hopes its 'three-headed monster' attacks Memphis

Freshman Shane Larkin has formed a nice trio with Malcolm Grant and Durand Scott

December 5, 2011|By Steve Gorten, Sun Sentinel

CORAL GABLES — Miami Hurricanes freshman guard Shane Larkin was named ACC Rookie of the Week on Monday, receiving recognition after a week in which he worked his way into the team's starting lineup and established himself as an integral player.

Larkin scored a career-high 16 points against Purdue on Tuesday, including 13 of the team's 15 points during one stretch in the second half, and followed that up with 14 points against Massachusetts on Saturday in his first career start.

He shot 9-for-18 from the field — 6-for-7 from 3-point range — and averaged two assists and two rebounds.

Larkin's emergence for the guard-oriented Hurricanes, who'll start him, along with Malcolm Grant, Durand Scott and Trey McKinney Jones for the second consecutive game Tuesday at 9 p.m. vs. No. 21 Memphis at BankUnited Center, has given first-year coach Jim Larranaga his "three-headed monster."

That's what Larranaga calls Larkin, Grant and Scott, all of whom are capable of scoring and distributing the ball.

"All three of them will play the point at various times during the game and we're going to do it based on the matchups and who has the best advantage," Larranaga said.

Larkin said, "[Calling us] three-headed monster says that he has a lot of confidence in all of us. I can penetrate, kick it to Malcolm and he can hit the 3 or Durand can penetrate, kick it to me and I'll hit the 3. We're all interchangeable.

Larkin, a transfer from DePaul who was granted a waiver by the NCAA before the second game allowing him to play immediately, said the Hurricanes have numerous combo guards so relative to a prominent role, "I didn't expect it to come quickly."

Grant and Scott are leading the Hurricanes in scoring with 17.1 and 13.0 points per game, respectively, and Larkin is fourth with 8.5, just behind McKinney Jones (8.6). Scott leads the team with 26 assists, compared with just 10 turnovers. Larkin has 16 assists and Grant has 10.

Larranaga, who describes Larkin as the team's fastest defender, says he's also "very, very good at finding the open man," is smart and has good fundamentals and grasp for the game. Grant, a senior, jokingly refers to Larkin as his son.

"I put him under my wing. A lot of times when freshmen come in and they're so talented, they have the ability to not want to listen to people and do their own thing, but Shane is totally opposite," Grant said. "He's extremely humble, listens to everything we tell him … and if you watch him play, it's like he's been playing on this level forever. He's not nervous out there — never."

Entering their biggest game so far this season, the 'Canes can use a strong performance from their three-headed monster against Memphis.